Anderson Student Association (ASA)

About the Innovation Challenge

 

The UCLA Anderson Think in the Next (TITN) Innovation Challenge is a competition to discover forward-thinking solutions to business and societal problems by leveraging the four frontiers of technology: artificial intelligence (AI), virtual reality/augmented reality (VR/AR), the internet of things (IoT) and blockchain.

The purpose of this competition is to strategically fulfill the mission of both UCLA Anderson School of Management more specifically and UCLA more broadly. The mission of the former is to transform management thinking and  prepare future leaders for evolving careers in ever-changing organizations and markets — and for  lives of significance. The mission for the latter is the creation, dissemination, preservation and application of knowledge for the betterment of our global society. The following will guide you through the process.

The tabs below contain details on how to apply for the competition hosted by each vertical. All applicants must apply through one of the four vertical case competitions below. One winner from each vertical will advance to compete in the overall TITN Innovation Challenge.

Challenges in Energy Case Competition

Strategy and Operations Case Competition

Innovation and Design Case Competition

Health Care Business Case Competition

Competition Structure and Key Competition Dates

 

There will be two rounds of the challenge. The preliminary round will determine which team from each vertical (organized by an Anderson student club and/or a center) will advance to the final round of the overall challenge.

The preliminary round will be a competition within each vertical based on the industry or sector with which the vertical aligns. One vertical, the Health Care Business Case Competition, aligns with the Easton Technology Management Center and Healthcare Business Association (HBA), and the other three verticals align with Anderson student clubs: The Energy Management Group (EMG) is hosting the Challenges in Energy Case Competition; the Strategy & Operations Management Association (SOMA) is hosting the Strategy and Operations Case Competition; and Innovation & Design at Anderson (IDeA) is hosting the Innovation and Design Case Competition.

With the exception of one vertical (EMG), which is hosting its preliminary round on Thursday, February 27, 2020, the preliminary round for all other verticals will take place on Friday, February 28, 2020, at UCLA Anderson.

The final round, featuring the wining teams from each vertical, will take place on Saturday, February 29, 2020.

Timeline

 
Date Description
January 31, 2020 Applications are due, with the exception of EMG, which has closed
February 1, 2020 Accepted teams are announced
February 27, 2020 Preliminary round (EMG)
February 28, 2020 Preliminary round (all others)
February 29, 2020 Final round

Team and Presentation Requirements

 
All team members must be students at the same institution. The Health Care Business Case Competition is limited to UCLA students. All other verticals are open to applicants from other institutions. The presentations must be delivered using PowerPoint. Twenty minutes will be allotted for the presentation and 10 minutes for Q&A.

Prompts

 
  • Each vertical’s prompt will be provided to participants by the vertical.

  • Each prompt will consist of two components: a solution to a challenge in business/society and use of the four frontiers of technology in the solution.

  • Each vertical will determine if its prompt will focus on a business challenge or if it will involve a social societal challenge as well.

  • Each vertical’s prompt will state the following in some format: Solve for problem x in industry/sector y using at least one of the four frontiers of technology: AI, VR/AR, IoT and blockchain.

Judging Guidelines

 

During the final round, to minimize subjectivity, three measures will be implemented: (1) School names will be anonymous; (2) to the extent possible, judges will reflect the backgrounds of all participating verticals led by a neutral facilitator; and (3) judging will be based on a scored rubric that is evidence based in at least three areas: innovation, feasibility and impact.

The judges’ rubric will call for the assignment of a numeric value basedon the extent to which the team is able to provide evidencein its presentation of the following three points, which will go to the overall scoring of each team’s performance:

  • Innovation: Is the solution innovative with respect to reliance on existing ideas, processes and/or products? For example, a team must convey evidence through the use of research and demonstrate what makes its solution innovative.
  • Feasibility: How realistic would it be to implement the solution? A team may include primary research in providing evidence, for example.
  • Impact: What populations or how many people would be affected by the solution to a societal challenge?

Schedule

 
Presentations: 20 minutes; Q&A: 10 minutes; judges’ deliberation: 10 minutes; and break: 5 minutes

This schedule may vary based on the number of teams.
The order of presentations on the final day will be determined by random selection.
Date Time Description
Friday, February 28 8:00 – 8:30 a.m. Team 1
8:45 – 9:15 a.m. Team 2
9:30 – 10:00 a.m. Team 3
10:15 – 10:45 a.m. Team 4
11:00 – 11:30 a.m. Team 5
11:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. Lunch
1:00 – 1:30 p.m. Team 6
1:45 – 2:15 p.m. Team 7
2:30 – 3:00 p.m. Team 8
3:15 – 3:45 p.m. Team 9
4:00 – 4:30 p.m. Team 10
4:30 – 6:30 p.m. Deliberation and Dinner Reception
Date Time Description
Saturday, February 29 8:45 – 9:15 a.m. Team 1
9:30 – 10:00 a.m. Team 2
10:15 – 10:45 a.m. Team 3
11:00 – 11:30 a.m. Team 4
11:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. Deliberation and Lunch Reception

Questions

 
Please direct any questions about the overall challenge to Lizzeth Rosales, Anderson Student Association VP of ethics and professionalism (lizzeth.rosales.2020@anderson.ucla.edu), and Mia Seleshi, associate director of student services, MBA Student Affairs (afomia.seleshi@anderson.ucla.edu).